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Police Standoff with Hong Kong Protesters Intensifies; Hong Kong Firefighters Criticize Police Force; Netanyahu On The Attack Over Arab Parties In Govt.; Popular Tourist City Awaits Relief From Rising Waters; Hong Kong Police and Protester Clashes Magnified; Unrest in Iran Over Petrol Price Hike; Second Week of Trump's Impeachment Hearings; The Duke of York Under Fire After Interview on Relationship with Epstein. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired November 18, 2019 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[02:00:00]

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church and this is "CNN Newsroom."

Coming up, a tense standoff at a Hong Kong university, protesters set fires and barricades to keep police out.

A price hike on petrol triggers demonstrations throughout Iran. Security forces have a warning for protester.

Plus, Prince Andrew's decision to sit down for an interview, why critics say it was a P.R. nightmare.

Good to have you with us. So, a tense standoff has been raging in Hong Kong between pro-democracy protesters and police. And the situation has once again turned violent.

Authorities have fired more tear gas trying to remove demonstrators from a university they have occupied. Many protesters have started to leave but mothers are staying put. Police are urging those who remained to come out and give up their weapons.

Meantime, a victory for the protesters, Hong Kong's high court has struck down a controversial ban on wearing masks at public gatherings which was passed last month.

So let's go live now to Hong Kong where our CNN's Paula Hancock is standing by. Paula, what is the latest on this protest and what's the scene there on the streets of Hong Kong?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, it's getting pretty hectic again just on the outskirts around the campus. The police themselves have the campus on lock down.

We understand that people are unable to leave at this point, but this is a couple of blocks away and you can see other protesters, some more radical protesters are trying to distract the police. There's a fair few of them here which you can see.

But what they have been doing is trying to draw the police away from the campus they say and cause trouble here so that there are less police looking at the Polytechnic.

It doesn't seem to be working at this point but certainly they are having cautious with the police as plenty of CS gas and tear gas in the air which brings the protesters back every so often. But then as soon as that's clear, they're are back in place.

Now, we do know that one source tells CNN that on the campus itself, that they are making explosive substances. They say that they have been trying to mix some household components together, some mixing that as well with petrol bombs.

And they say that they have that ready should the police decide that they are going to storm the campus. Now, we ourselves over the past few days have been on that campus a number of times and we have seen plenty of petrol bombs that are ready to go and we know a number of them have already been thrown at the police.

We know they've been using a bow and arrow. One policeman hit in the leg by an arrow. And we've heard from police themselves saying that if the protesters use what they call lethal weapons, they consider a bow and arrow to be a lethal weapon.

Then they will use minimum force and they say that that could include live fire as well. But this is certainly a very fluid situation. These particular individuals here, trying to draw the police away from the campus but it's simply not working at this point, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes. I mean, that is the big concern isn't it. When you're talking about these bombs being made, you're talking about bows and arrows and possibly use of guns by the police. I mean, there was a worry on both sides here. Where is it all going and where is the off ramp?

HANCOCKS: Well, there is no doubt that this has escalated and when you think back six months and you had 10 -- hundreds of thousands of people on the streets protesting peacefully, this is very different.

Now, you do have all sorts of different protesters within the campus as we understand it. We know that we saw earlier on this morning, dozens of them escaping from the campus. We saw them running across the entrance to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and disappearing.

Now, we understand police then extended the cordon around that campus to try and round them all up and they want to make sure that they are arresting them all.

We spoke to of the protesters in the campus. He's in there right now and he said he's a 23-year-old. His parents don't know that he's in there. They think he's staying with his girlfriend. He is exhausted he said. He is worried and he is sitting there waiting to be arrested. And he said that is what those, may be a dozen around him are doing as well. But there is that more violent, that more hard core element that really does feel as though they're going to fight until they can fight no more. And that is what we have been seeing, some serious amount of petrol bombs used against the police.

[02:05:01]

So it's -- as for the question, where is the off ramp? It's very difficult to know. We knew that the president of the Polytechnic University have negotiated with police.

He posted a video on Facebook earlier this morning saying that if the protesters aren't violent, the police won't be violent, but then for many after that, there was some significant violence on both sides. So, it's really very difficult to see how this is going to get any better, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes. It is certainly a real concern as to where this may go next. Paula Hancocks reporting there from the streets of Hong Kong very near that university. Many thanks. We'll stay in touch with you

So, the violence around Hong Kong's universities has forced some students to flee the city. CNN's David Culver has that part of the story.

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DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The violent clashes between police and protesters in Hong Kong turning university campuses into scorched battlegrounds.

For five months, demonstrators have been fighting against Beijing's increasing influence over the territory. They have smashed mainland Chinese banks, vandalized a state-run newspaper office and trashed restaurants ran by owners who support Beijing.

Once a city mainlanders flock to for a taste of western affluence and education, many are now fleeing Hong Kong heading back to the mainland, some boarding a police boat to get out.

These passengers took a train across the border into Shenzhen, China, several are university students. The violence abruptly ending their semester, greeted here with signs like this one. It reads, "We are one family. We are with you."

The young man holding it, asking me not to show his face fearing retaliation. He tells us his company sent him offering temporary housing to mainland Chinese students leaving the universities.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): We want to help to ease their situation a little and give them some warmth.

CULVER (voice-over): Hotels in Shenzhen are rolling out the red welcome home signs. The Communist Youth League run by the communist party of China, among the first to step up to assist with a growing exodus of young people.

Pro-Beijing private businesses and alumni networks from Chinese universities also helping the students to find a place to stay.

This mainland student tells us she left the Education University of Hong Kong after administrators canceled classes last week. She, like everyone we spoke with, fearful to reveal her identity experiencing a mix of a motion, fear, confusion, uncertainty, even resentment towards the violent protesters.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They just try to destroy the normal people's lives. And it will influence our graduations. So, really unhappy.

CULVER (voice-over): Back in Hong Kong, we found other mainlanders like Charlie staying put for now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think many students are scared and worried. But I have to say that I cannot see many mainland students targeted by those protestors or bullied by those protestors or their local classmates.

CULVER (voice-over): But his mother still worries after seeing the images of destruction, she traveled from the mainland to Hong Kong to check in on her son. Charlie sys early on in the movement he actually sympathized with the demonstrators.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I changed my mind. They need to reduce the violence.

CULVER (voice-over): Violence that's led to this, campuses that once promoted dialogue, left near empty, shattered, charred, residents now cleaning up wondering what will ignite next. David Culver, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The United States is condemning Iran for the way it has dealt with protesters who are denouncing a planned increase in gas prices. The White House accuses the government of using lethal force against the demonstrators.

Violent scenes like this have been playing out for days now. Iran's supreme leader says several people have died so far. CNN's Fred Pleitgen has that report.

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FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Violent protests in many parts of Iran. About a five hour drive south of Tehran in Isfahan, flames rage at a branch of the Saderat Bank. A similar picture in (inaudible) with the border with Iraq -- as Iranians faced with high unemployment and a crumbling economy take to the streets.

In the capital Tehran, this social media video purports to show protesters screaming death to the dictator, death to Rouhani, Iran's president. The government claims it wants to combat fuel smuggling and the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenie, has backed the gas price hike while criticizing protesters.

Some people would definitely get upset over this decision, he said, but damaging and setting fire to property is not something normal people would do -- its hooligans.

[02:10:01]

On Sunday morning, workers at the main bazaar in Tehran went on strike, effectively shutting business down there. But the merchants have been suffering for months since the Trump administration has pulled out of the Iran nuclear agreement and hit Iran with wave after wave of crippling sanctions.

Iran's government says it will remain steadfast and initiated what it calls a resistance economy, an effort to become more self-sustained. But while Iran's government says outside forces are fanning these new protests, many Iranians suffering under high unemployment have very little hope that things can improve anytime soon. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: So let's breakdown that hike on gas prices. According to Iranian state media, the government has decided to raise gas prices by 50 percent. Drivers with fuel cards will pay the equivalent of about 36 cents a liter for the first 60 liters. After that, every extra liter will cost about 71 cents. Before the government's announcement, the gas costs per leader was about 24 cents.

Well, a new round of U.S. impeachment hearings begins this week and there are new details on the key witness Gordon Sondland's involvement in the Ukraine dealings. We'll take a look at, that.

Plus, it has been called a car crash interview with a P.R. disaster. Why Britain's Prince Andrew is being widely condemned after going public about his friendship with a convicted sex offender.

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CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. So, the next round of U.S. impeachment hearings kicks off this week. Eight U.S. officials will be testifying and some of the most anticipated testimony will come from the U.S. ambassador to the E.U., Gordon Sondland.

The "Wall Street Journal" on Sunday disclosed e-mails that show Sondland had been keeping Trump officials in the loop on the push to get Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.

On July 19th, Sondland wrote this, "I talked to Zelensky just now. He is prepared to receive Potus' call. Will assure him that he intends to run a fully transparent investigation and will turn over every stone.

Now, this was ahead of President Trump's call with the Ukrainian president the following week. Meanwhile President Trump is slamming an aid to Vice President Mike Pence on twitter.

He is calling Jennifer Williams a never Trumper ahead of her public testimony at the impeachment hearings this week. Williams listened to President Trump's July 25th phone call with Ukraine's President Zelensky.

And she told lawmakers earlier that she found his request for investigating the Biden's unusual and inappropriate. Meanwhile, the vice president's office is distancing Pence from Williams, calling her just a State Department employee.

Well, CNN's David Shortell takes a look at all the U.S. officials scheduled to testify this week.

DAVID SHORTELL, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE PRODUCER: Eight witnesses set to testify publicly this week before the House Intelligence Committee, including a number of highly credentialed, the National Security officials, making this week out to potentially be one of the most consequential of the Trump presidency.

You may recognize some of the names of these individuals. That's because these are folks who have already come in and provided lawmakers with testimony behind closed-doors.

Well now, beginning on Tuesday, the American public will get to hear from them directly. I want to focus in on two of the witnesses who are expected to provide some of the most critical testimony so far in this impeachment inquiry.

That's Gordon Sondland, a close ally of the president's and the ambassador to the European Union, and Timothy Morrison who was the top; in the top white house expert on Russia up until his resignation late last month.

Sondland, you'll remember, is a wealthy businessman who donated $1 million to the president's inauguration committee and later became his top envoy to the E.U.

Well his testimony on Wednesday is not expected to be a home run for the Democrats because he will likely testify about a call that he had with President Trump in which the president told him explicitly that he was not looking for a "quid pro quo" with the Ukrainians.

That meaning, I do not want you to tell the Ukrainians that the release of military aid is contingent on the opening of an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden.

We have heard at other points however that Sondland did offer up such a deal to the Ukrainians. He is also likely to be quizzed by Democrats on a conversation he had with his colleagues over the summer that were only just now, this week learning about it. In that conversation at a restaurant in Kiev in July, Sondland allegedly told other officials that Trump did not care about Ukraine. He was only concerned with the opening of an investigation into the Bidens.

Morrison, the former NSC official is scheduled to testify on Tuesday and he's expected to really build the credentials of Sondland as someone who is working directly with the president on the shadow Ukraine policy, this effort to get the Ukrainians to open up a political investigation that was done outside of the normal diplomatic channels.

Morrison is also likely to testify about a number of conversations he had with Sondland in which the ambassador described how he was doing this work at the behest of the president. That's going to really establish Sondland as the witness with the most direct role in this that we've heard from so far. David Shortell, CNN, Washington.

CHURCH: So let's get more on this from Richard Johnson. He is a lecturer in U.S. politics and international relations at Lancaster University in England. Thank you so much for joining us.

RICHARD JOHNSON, LECTURER, LANCASTER UNIVERSITY: Good morning.

CHURCH: So, if he turns up, how potentially damning and significant might the public testimony of U.S. ambassador to the E.U., Gordon Sondland be in light of new details revealed in the "Wall Street Journal" that he actually kept the Trump administration apprise of efforts to get Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, ahead of the president's infamous July 25th call.

[02:20:08]

JOHNSON: I think Sondland's been a bit of a problematic witness in some ways. He's had to go back and amend his testimony, but I think what the Republicans are probably going to try and do is to try and present him as someone who was really sort of over eager to please the president and maybe overstepped what his agreement (ph) was.

If you follow what the president say, he's really trying to keep a narrow focus on the telephone exchanges that he directly had with Ukraine, using the language specifically a quid pro quo.

And I think the assertion that Trump, you know, are suppose in some ways recently carefully try to avoid explicit quid pro quo. Of course, in an impeachment the charges could be much broader than that but President Trump strategically wanted to be focused much more narrowly.

CHURCH: Yes. And as you say, right at the center of this is the military aid that was held up by the Trump administration in exchange for an investigation into the president's political rival, Joe Biden. Of course, it was being called a quid pro quo.

The Democrats are trying to get away from that language using bribery instead, so that the average American sort of understands what's going on here. So, several witnesses testify that they were concerned about a shadow Ukraine policy run by Sondland and Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer.

What is Sondland facing in terms of legal jeopardy with not only his revised testimony, of course, these new revelations that he hasn't been disclosing everything along the way, has he?

JOHNSON: No, and that's why I said earlier that he is a problematic witness and in some regard, that his testimony has been choppy. He's had to go back and amend this and so on. You know, this is interesting in a broader historical context, that this is the first impeachment hearing that's really about matters of national security.

Before it was much more sort of domestically focused often on reason to be trivial issues particularly the Clinton impeachment hearing. And so in normal political times, we would expect this to make the impeachment process much more bipartisan affair because foreign policy is often been -- seen at a much more bipartisan way.

But it is a sign of the times that bipartisanship, it has not been forthcoming and if would be trying to use the Sondland testimony and twisted in different partisan directions.

CHURCH: Richard Johnson and many thanks to you for sharing your analysis and perspective on this. We appreciate it.

JOHNSON: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, Britain's Prince Andrew is coming under fire after speaking out for the first time about his friendship with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Lawyers for Epstein's victim are now demanding that the British royal talk to the FBI. CNN Hadas Gold has more now from London.

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Prince Andrew may have hoped sitting down for an extensive forensic interview with the BBC would help quell the controversies surrounding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.

But it seems to have only fanned the flames. The British press pounded the prince for his answers and demeanor, not expressing enough sympathy for Epstein's victims they said, with glaring headlines like, "Not One Single Word of Remorse."

PRINCE ANDREW, DUKE OF YORK: Do I regret the fact that he has quite obviously conducted himself in a matter unbecoming, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unbecoming. He was a sex offender.

ANDREW: Yes. I'm sorry, I'm being polite -- the sense that he was a sex offender.

GOLD: Prince Andrew claims in the interview aired on Saturday night, that he and Epstein were not that great of friends, but then he said he went to stay at Epstein's house in Manhattan just months after Epstein had been released from prison for sex crimes in order to break up the friendship in person.

He told the BBC he kicks himself daily for visiting Epstein, realizes it was the wrong thing to do and let the royal family down.

GOLD (on camera): The interview was taped on Thursday here at Buckingham Palace, the seat of the British monarchy. According to the BBC, it took six months to arrange. It was conducted with the queen's approval.

For the first time Prince Andrew provided alibis for the allegations leveled against him, by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claimed in a 2015 federal court filing that she was forced to party with Prince Andrew and engage in sexual acts with him.

But the Duke of York has repeatedly denied all the allegations saying in an interview he couldn't have been with Giuffre. At least one of the occasions she cited, because he was at a pizza express restaurant with his daughter, Princess Beatrice.

Prince Andrew said he has no recollection of even meeting Giuffre despite the fact the photo allegedly shows him with his arm around a young Giuffre in 2001.

[02:24:58]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you saying you don't believe her, she's lying?

ANDREW: That's a very difficult thing to answer because I'm not in a position to know what she is trying to achieve because I can tell you categorically I don't remember meeting her at all, I do not remember her photograph being taken and I have said consistently and frequently that we never had any sort of sexual contact whatever.

GOLD (voice-over): Gloria Allred, an attorney for some of Epstein's victims has called on Prince Andrew to speak under oath or testify to U.S. investigators.

The prince said he would be willing to do so if his legal counsel advised him to. When asked if Buckingham palace had a reaction to the fallout from the interview, a spokesperson said on Sunday that the Duke's words speak for themselves. Hadas Gold, CNN, London.

CHURCH: Still to come, it's not just the protesters who are butting heads with police in Hong Kong. In a CNN exclusive, some of the cities firefighters explain while there are no fans of the police force either.

And the deadline is just days away for the leader of Israel's blue and white party to form a government, while one of Benny Gantz's options has the prime minister on the offense. Back with that and more in just a moment.

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[02:30:08]

CHURCH: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Rosemary Church. Want to check the headlines for you this hour, the U.S. is condemning Iran for allegedly using lethal force on protesters. Iranians have been demonstrating against a planned increase in gas prices. Iran's Supreme Leader says several people have died so far.

Of course, the country internet and cell phone service has been shut down for more than 24 hours, the longest outage in six years.

U.S. President Donald Trump is lashing out on Twitter calling an Aide to Vice President Mike Pence a never Trumper. Jennifer Williams will be testifying on Capitol Hill this week, it's the latest in the series of social media attacks by the president against those cooperating in the impeachment inquiry.

A long standoff between police and protesters rages on at Hong Kong's Polytechnic University. Police have fired more teargas as they attempt to force out demonstrators. Some of the protesters have attempted to flee the campus but a lot of them have been arrested on their way out.

Ronny Tong is a member of the Hong Kong Executive Council. He joins me now from Hong Kong. Good to talk with you.

RONNY TONG, MEMBER, HONG KONG EXECUTIVE COUNCIL: Hello.

CHURCH: So we are seeing increased violence on the streets of Hong Kong and Chief Executive Carrie Lam says its wishful thinking to believe the government will yield to protesters demands amid this escalating violence. So what is the government's plan and how can stability be restored going forward?

TONG: Well, it has been a heartbreaking few days I think for everybody in Hong Kong to see that first the Chinese University and then the Polytechnic University basically under siege.

What is currently happening in relation to the Polytechnic University is that most of the rioters having been in a day long clash with the police had retreated into the campus of Polytechnic University.

And some of them tried to leave the campus now and a semi-truce has been declared and that so long as the protesters were to (INAUDIBLE) and to leave the campus peacefully, they will be allowed to do so.

Now I don't know to what extent that is possible at this moment. I do understand that a lot of people are being arrested but I think those people if they were to come from the campus are probably rioters.

Because as I say, most of the students have already left the campus and over the day long clash yesterday, those innocent civilians in Hong Kong have -- you know, have tried to enter the area so that most people are now in the campus are rioters.

CHURCH: All right, so you're saying it's really just -- so you're saying it's a very small group of rioters that are calling -- causing all of these problems?

TONG: -- people there. CHURCH: Right, I did want to ask you this because the Hong Kong Professional Teachers Union and Polytechnic University Staff Association blamed the government for the current stalemate.

What's your response to their call for both sides to show some restraint but particularly the government?

TONG: Well, I do agree that both sides need to show a restraint. The fact that there are no fatalities in any consulate between the police and the rioters. (INAUDIBLE) it's a clear testament that the fact that the police have been under extreme restraint.

They have been attacked by fire bombs, by arrows, by projectiles and so on all day long and they have responded only with tear gas. The only -- I think our lethal weapon they could use in these circumstances.

So I think to blame the police in particular is grossly unfair and wholly unrealistic even what's happening in the street.

CHURCH: But these teachers asked --

TONG: Sorry?

CHURCH: These teachers asked that the police not intensify the conflict by moving on to the university campus and at the same time Hong Kong firefighters support the protesters causing tension of course between police and firefighters. What's your response to that that the firefighters don't support what the police are doing here?

TONG: I don't think that's true. I think what you're hearing is certainly --

CHURCH: Well, we've -- CNN has interviewed -- CNN has -- CNN has interviewed firefighters that say exactly that.

TONG: Well, I don't think that is true.

[02:35:03]

CHURCH: We have them on camera.

TONG: The police have not invaded the campus. The police has not gone into the campus. What the police has done is (INAUDIBLE) off the area and basically are calling for people to leave.

CHURCH: Right, so meantime of course Hong Kong's economy is suffering as a result of all of this and really the government not apparently coming up with any plan as to how they deal with this maybe discuss the situation with some of these leaders of the protest group. But what needs to be done about that and how can you turn things around?

TONG: Well it's very difficult, I agree. And we face with very limited options such today (INAUDIBLE). The High Court has ruled the government in introducing the Emergency Regulations Ordinance in ruling unconstitutional. That speaks volumes about the independence of the judiciary and Hong Kong but it also means that the legal means open to the government is further detail by the current position of the High Court.

At this moment, there is no indication whatsoever that the government would step up its arrest or to introduce further tougher message and just hope that things would die down before the District Council election which is happening in two weeks' time.

I think everybody understands that if the violence were to escalate and it becomes totally unsafe for voters to come and vote on the 24th of November or that the election will become wholly unfair, and that only the pro-government candidates were being attacked by the rioters and prevented from carrying on the (INAUDIBLE) campaign would mean that -- you know, the only real (INAUDIBLE) election in Hong Kong may be jeopardized. And I hope that everybody will understand that and try to calm down and allow the election to go on.

CHURCH: We will see what happens because we are seeing evidence of escalation of violence there on this campus. We're looking at pictures right now.

Ronny Tong, thank you so much for talking with us. We do appreciate it.

Well, as I just told my guest, Hong Kong's firefighters have been applauded for their response. Our CNN's Will Ripley reports a growing number of firefighters admit they support the protest movement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A Hong Kong firefighter points to his swollen face, riot police accidentally hit his fire engine with teargas earlier this month. Tempers flare on both sides. The police push the firefighter into a corner before chasing and pepper spraying a journalist.

The police and Fire Services rush to issue a joint joint statement within hours, calling it a misunderstanding. These men say it's more than that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The power of police is like unlimited. They can do whatever they like.

RIPLEY: Two of Hong Kong firefighters and one paramedic all not authorized to speak to CNN. They will only talk if we hide their identities.

Can I ask, have any of the three of you ever participated in the protests, you know, covering your own faces?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

RIPLEY: Do you think you would be fired if that ever came out?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course we will get fired.

RIPLEY: They say many of their colleagues have also joined the protests, ignoring warnings like this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): You can't stand against the government showing a negative image to the public.

RIPLEY: Videos like these show what some consider government sanctioned police brutality. Skeptics argue they generally lack context about what happened before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police is using excessive violence, when they are arresting those young people.

RIPLEY: Can you describe like what kind of excessive violence you've personally witnessed?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When someone is under arrest and they didn't fight back, they are just lying on the ground and the police were still beating them. And now it's like a common practice.

RIPLEY: Like every week?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like every protest.

RIPLEY: This woman pepper sprayed and pushed to the ground. This office workers head injury said to be from a teargas canister. A protester shot in the torso with live ammunition, all in the span of two days.

Amnesty international accuses Hong Kong police of being out of control.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not agree that our officers are out of control in our use of force but of course we are under great pressure.

[02:40:00]

RIPLEY: Pressure including violent attacks targeting officers. Hong Kong police sent us this video, front line protesters beating an off- duty cop. The firefighters watching said they tried to help but we're outnumbered.

Bricks and petrol bombs are the weapons of choice against police; others include an improvised explosive device, metal poles and flaming arrows. This government supporter was even doused with flammable liquid and set on fire.

CARRIE LAM, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, HONG KONG (through translator): These rioters acts have gone overboard with their demands and these acts are the enemies of the people.

RIPLEY: Would you dispute the fact that the protesters are also putting lives in dangers through their behavior?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you are right. Some small groups of protesters are putting things in danger. That's undeniable. But for me, I understand what they are doing.

RIPLEY: So are you saying that you -- if you had to pick a side, would you side with the protesters over the police as a firefighter?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I will side with the protesters.

RIPLEY: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are desperate.

RIPLEY: They all say the biggest challenge facing Hong Kong right now is not violence, it's lack of trust.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one is trusting each other, that's why we are hiding our face. People don't trust the government, we don't trust the police and there's no way back.

RIPLEY: And no way forward for the 70 year old man hit with a brick and 22 year old student who fell from a parking garage. Two protest related deaths in just one week.

Will Ripley, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Another story we are following, the deadline to form a government in Israel is approaching. Why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is raising an alarm about what his political rival might do. We'll have the details when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:17]

CHURCH: The Israeli prime minister's political future hangs in the balance this week. Opposition leader Benny Gantz, has days to form a government. And it's possible he could do it with support from Arab parties. As Oren Liebermann reports, that has prompted a sharp warning from Benjamin Netanyahu.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, took a kind of victory tour after last week's fighting with Gaza, visiting soldiers and security forces.

Now, he's on the attack once again, facing the possibility of defeat -- political defeat that is. His target, the Arab parties and Israeli politics calling them supporters of terror.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL (through translator): Today, we're having an emergency meeting against the minority government, which depends on the supporters of terror. It's a danger to the security of Israel.

LIEBERMANN: Netanyahu is under pressure. Benny Gantz, his rival, has until Wednesday at midnight to announce he has a coalition to unseat Netanyahu. Gantz is pursuing a unity government, he says, but won't rule out any option. BENNY GANTZ, LEADER, BLUE AND WHITE PARTY (through translator): We will construct the table for direct negotiations on substantive issues. And when that is done, we will discuss the seating arrangements around it.

LIEBERMANN: That includes a minority government that relies in the outside support of the Arab parties. Netanyahu said such a government would be an unprecedented danger to Israel. It was a reminder of Netanyahu's campaign rhetoric when he accused Arabs of voter fraud and trying to steal the elections.

Arab leaders in Israel, say there should be another criminal investigation of Netanyahu in addition to the graft probes he already faces, this time for incitement. Netanyahu and Gantz are both courting potential kingmaker, Avigdor Lieberman. The former defense minister, says only egos and personal issues are standing in the way of a unity government between Netanyahu's Likud Party and Gantz's Blue and White Party.

Lieberman has been tight-lipped about whether he'd be OK with a government that needed Arab support. In the past, he's called Israel's Arabs, a fifth column and refer to them as enemies.

But on Facebook, Lieberman posted a picture of Netanyahu sitting with the leaders of the Arab parties, saying he's worked with them for years, suggesting maybe such a government isn't off the table for him yet.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, Jerusalem.

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CHURCH: Venetians are hoping for relief after another round of historic flooding submerges their city. What they say could have prevented it all? That is next.

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[02:51:35]

CHURCH: Well, Mother Nature is not offering much relief in Venice as another round of flooding cripples the city. St. Mark's Square along with 85 percent of the city is underwater once again. Businesses and iconic landmarks are forced to remain closed, while floodwaters are putting priceless architecture and artwork at risk. CNN's Scott McLean has more on the impact it's having on Venetians.

It has been a pretty tough week for Venetians. There was yet another exceptionally a high tide that peaked at about a meter and a half. So, we're in St. Mark's Square right now, which floods at about 80 centimeters, add another 70 centimeters on top of that, and that's what we ended up within this latest round of flooding.

This comes though after two more bouts of high tide earlier this week, bouts that Venetians are frankly still cleaning up from. This has been frustrating for this city. You do not have to look hard to find a Venetian who will tell you that all of this flooding seems quite preventable that's because there is a system, a hydraulic barrier system called MOSE that's being built for the last 15 years. Though it's been plagued by corruption and scandal and mismanagement.

We spoke to the current mayor who told us, look, he understands the frustrations of people here but that MOSE is still the city's best way forward in the future. Now, there are two more high tides expected this week, they will be enough to flood this Square, the lowest part of Venice, but thankfully, not enough to cause any more damage than has already been done.

In Venice, I'm Scott McLean, reporting.

CHURCH: And while Venice is fighting floods, wildfires are devastating eastern Australia. Dozens of blazes remain uncontained in parts of Queensland and New South Wales, with hot dry weather fuelling those fires, hundreds of homes have been destroyed and four people have died. A total fire ban is in effect as officials say water restrictions could intensify.

So, let's turn to our meteorologist, Pedram Javaheri, joining us now with more. Just heartbreaking saying what's happening for New South Wales and Queensland. What's the outlook here?

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGIST: You know another round of heat in store here, Rosemary, unfortunately. At least in the initial phase of the forecast, I did see some signs of a potential shift in the pattern. Maybe even some showers in about seven days.

So, we'll watch that carefully. But you notice nearly 50 active fires, about half of which are uncontained. So, really not a good setup here. When you take a look at the extreme heat, of course, that has been plaguing this region, the tremendous winds that are in store, and we do expect another round of strong winds potentially coming our way sometime Wednesday into Thursday.

Once again, these winds would get up 50 to 60 kilometers per hour. And notice, it is widespread, and it certainly doesn't choose one state over another. And you take a look across to the north, work your way into Queensland, and we still see winds up there across that region up to 60 kilometers per hour as well.

But this will continue through potentially Friday before conditions quiet down. And then you look ahead into Saturday into Sunday, yes, a few thunderstorms possible with an incoming front, but then, we get into a weather pattern potentially for Sunday and Monday of next week. So, if this pans out, the excellent news across that region of Australia.

[02:54:58]

Now, into Europe, we go where the pattern has been as active as we've seen it all season and another storm system on the horizon. And just to show you how impressive the line of active weather here's been, one of the storms just northwest of Rome spawning an F2 tornado in the past 24 hours. Significant damage reported across portions of town. And of course, we know the flooding up around Venice as the water gets funneled right up the Adriatic, you take a look though when it comes to severe weather and tornadoes in Italy, 12 tornadoes' on average for any given year.

And you kind of pick your location across portions of Europe and you see the highlighted areas and countries that see the most tornadoes by region. But the next system in line again expected to bring in blustery weather here sometime on Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday evening.

With it, we could expect additional flooding into Venice, and of course, we know an exceptional tide is considered 140 centimeters or high -- higher which is a 90 percent of the city it takes on water when this happens.

Now, in the past five days, Rosemary, we've had five -- four of the last five days see this exceptional flooding take place, where 90 percent of Venice has taken on water. This happens on average once every five years, we've had it happen four times in the last five days which is essentially something you would see happen over a 20-year period has happened in the past week across Venice. And that's why it is such a big story for folks across that region.

CHURCH: Right, Pedram, thanks again for giving us the outlook there, although not great. Appreciate it.

JAVAHERI: Yes, Thank you.

CHURCH: And thank you for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. Remember to connect with me anytime on Twitter and I will be back with more news in just a moment. You're watching CNN, do stick around.

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